The people at the local store should be able to help you, but I'll try my best to help you over the internet! :)

Tights are thin, and typically don't have belt loops, are pull on, and I have never seen a fullseat tight.

Regular breeches are thicker and come in many thicknesses/fabrics. My preferences are zip up, fullseat, with velcro at the ankle.

Breeches shouldn't dig into your hips, and the crotch should be in place (not hanging low). They should be snug, but not so tight that they are uncomfortable. Tights fit very close, but they won't be as "squeezy" - nice and light and soft.

I've also just learned that breeches should end above the ankle or mid-calf. Although if you're short like me they'll fit more like jods & below the ankle.

Little Mare described the fit accurately. I always parallel them to a pair of well fitted leggings. You want them to fit smoothly along your body to avoid rubbing & movement of the pant. Some people prefer theirs baggier though. I would try them on at a local tack store so you can feel & see what they need to look like. They come in numerous different fabrics as well. Thicker cotton, thinner "cool" cotton, flat, ribbed. I've heard the ribbed pants are supposed to be cooler - personally I hate them. I hate the feel. I of course didn't know this until after I purchased a ribbed pair online.

My preference is zipper, full seat & velcro at the ankles as well. Depending on the discipline you choose to follow that might decide your breeches choice. I'm not sure if they're frowned upon in the hunter ring or not, but I know you won't typically see full seats. I keep a pair of knee patches for "just in case" and just never ride in them at home.

Thanks Little Mare. 'the people' at the local store consists of a 70+ yo man whose wife passed and it was her store. i really don't feel comfortable asking him if this pair of breeches makes my butt look big!

thank you posters! Winters in Missouri are typically in the 30s with a few lower days and a good chance of warmer days. if we get snow it rarely sticks around more than 2-3 days.

when riding on longer trail rides in the winter i usually wear a bigger pair of jeans with a pair of thermal leggings for warmth in the saddle.

i don't see how I can do the multiple layers in breeches. how do you typically keep your legs warmer.... post more (hahahaah). seriously, tho. Is there a better fabric for winter riding. it probably makes sense to buy a winter pair and forego the lighter weight materials at this point.

I have winter breeches, and the rest of the year breeches. the winter ones are knee patch only, but they are a polar fleece. I do not need any thermal underwear under them. they are pullon, no zipper. relatively cheap, last forever.

the other breeches are full seat pull on, but I have had better quality zip fronts before. I prefer the cotton, myself, but they will wear out faster than an artificial fabric, such as the ribbed ones mentioned earlier. (I , too , hated that feel of these, the Irideons)

I liked my On Course Cotton Naturals, full seat. they have a nice thick feel. can be hot in the summer.

Now I rdie in Boinks. they are thin, though, so I used silk leggings under them in the fall or early Spring.

breeches will stretch, so if in doubt, buy on the smaller side. Full seat will take a while and it can be so tight at first that you feel like you wont' be able to get you leg over the saddle and sit down in it well, but they stretch quite a lot.
The tightness helps to support you thigh muscles and feels really good , once you get used to it. no wrinkles under your thigh.
Kerrits makes some nice breeches. I think my winter breeches are made by them.

Clarino for the full seat is a good faux leather product. leather is awesome, but pricey.

I ride pretty much exclusively in tights, the exception being shows, but only because I haven't found a pair of white riding tights yet. For some reason I can't find breeches that fit me well for the life of me...

Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the The Horse Forum forums, you must first register.

Already have a Horse Forum account?
Members are allowed only one account per person at the Horse Forum, so if you've made an account here in the past you'll need to continue using that account. Please do not create a new account or you may lose access to the Horse Forum. If you need help recovering your existing account, please Contact Us. We'll be glad to help!

New to the Horse Forum?Please choose a username you will be satisfied with using for the duration of your membership at the Horse Forum. We do not change members' usernames upon request because that would make it difficult for everyone to keep track of who is who on the forum. For that reason, please do not incorporate your horse's name into your username so that you are not stuck with a username related to a horse you may no longer have some day, or use any other username you may no longer identify with or care for in the future.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

OR

Log-in

User Name

Password

Remember Me?

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Old Thread Warning

This thread is more than 90 days old. When a thread is this old, it is often better to start a new thread rather than post to it. However, If you feel you have something of value to add to this particular thread, you can do so by checking the box below before submitting your post.I am aware that this is an old thread and I want to revive it rather than starting a new thread.